Page 103 of Griffin Undone
Thinking of what I’d seen when I reached Kat as she fell, I murmured, “And no fireworks.” Kat stirred, turning her face toward my chest as if seeking my warmth despite the fact that she was out cold. I leaned down to whisper in her ear. “Got that, Kitty Kat? The only fireworks you’re allowed to set off are in bed.”
Grim chuckled quietly. “That sounds like a prescription I could approve. Later. Much, much later.”
Every few minutes an Archai soldier would approach, make a report to Sun, then depart, only to have their space filled by another male on a similar errand. It seemed Kat’s display of power had turned most of the Anigma grunts’ guts to water, and many had fled rather than stand and fight. When news of Maddox’s death began to spread, the remaining soldiers followed suit. Those that weren’t dead, anyway. The Archai might’ve done a great impression of a determined ostrich for centuries, but they hadn’t slacked off on training.
Fifteen psych females had also been rescued. Their levels of physical and emotional well-being varied significantly, several having been sexually assaulted. One child, around ten years old, had been in a coma since earlier this week, according to the other females. Grim left soon after declaring Kat stable to see what could be done for the little one. And that left Sun and me seated on the dirty floor of a warehouse together, alone except for a sleeping Kat, ignoring the bustle of activity both of us could hear plainly outside the walls of the warehouse.
When Lyris’s assistant, Vanessa, appeared to inform us a room had been arranged for Kat at the staging area, I finally stood. Sun did as well, stretching his arms overhead and popping a vertebra or two in a way that I envied. As the two of us walked out of the warehouse, it struck me that, two months ago, we’d been mortal enemies, and now here we were, me carrying my mate in my arms, Sun walking beside me in silent support. Because that’s what the male was giving, even though he hadn’t said as much. I felt it—and appreciated it.
This whole mate-and-love thing was making me a pussy, but whatever. Kat’s weight in my arms, knowing she would be all right, was worth it.
I surveyed the compound with caution as Sun led the way to the length of fence we’d torn down earlier, the closest exit to the staging area. “So…” I cleared my throat, uncertain how my words would come across. “What happens next?”
Sun threw a grin over his shoulder, teeth startlingly white against his ash-covered, dirty skin. “You mean you didn’t have it all figured out before you came on this crusade?”
I chuckled quietly. “There was zero crusading involved, Prince.” The nickname had carried a sharp sting since our reunion, but now…not so much. “I had no idea what I was in for.”
Sun stopped in front of me and turned, his gaze dropping to Kat. Something undefined swirled in his rainbow eyes. “I don’t think your ideas could ever live up to what you gained.”
“No way in hell,” I agreed.Thank fuck for that.
We started walking again. The staging area, when we reached it, bustled with activity. Vanessa escorted me to a quiet room in the back with a door that closed and a twin-size bed. I laid Kat gently on the mattress, watching closely as she stirred, then settled. Vanessa returned minutes later with warm water, a washcloth, soap, and towels.
“Thanks.” After closing the door behind the female, I carefully locked it. Hustle and bustle sounded outside the door, but inside, quiet settled. Kat didn’t wake while I cleaned her and then myself. With nothing else to do but wait, I climbed beneath the covers, as naked as Kat, and pulled her on top of me. A soft rumble escaped as sleep overtook me—my animal purring for my mate.
ChapterForty-Five
Kat
Icaught the scent of Arik as my mind fluttered back to awareness. He surrounded me, warm and male and with that hint of musk that told me his griffin was close. The surface beneath me shifted, rising, and I realized I was draped across Arik’s chest, my cheek pillowed on one firm, sleek pec. A naked pec. All of him was naked—I could feel every inch of tantalizing skin against my own, which meant I was naked too.
And alive. I hadn’t expected to be alive.
Vague memories spun up as my brain clicked online: fighting Maddox, my power surging, the headache from hell. Somewhere in there I thought I glimpsed Arik with his arms around me, keeping me safe, and a pair of electric-green eyes that made no sense. I let myself drift, let the jumble in my brain slowly settle into place as I lay beside my mate, my limbs tangled with his, breath in rhythm with the heartbeat beneath my cheek.
My mate. Tears gathered behind my eyes.My mate.
A purr rumbled through the chest beneath me—the animal stirring with pleasure.“My mate.”
That voice… Not Arik’s, but deeper, with more gravel and growl, a bit of a caveman in it. His animal was speaking to me. The voice I’d heard the night of the matebond, that had been the griffin, not my imagination.
A tear escaped, warm and tingly on my skin, as I responded.“My mate. My griffin.”
“Yours.”
Arik stirred. Could he hear us speaking?
Hard arms and long legs tightened around me. Arik turned, his head dropping to bury in my hair. I had a moment to wonder if it was a rat’s nest up there before somethingdownthere caught my attention.
The griffin wasn’t the only one happy to see me. “You’re awake,” I said.
Arik’s chuckle was low and rough. “So I am.” One hand slid down my spine, sweeping pleasure through my nerve endings. At my rear it stilled, provided the counterpressure for the thrust of his stiff erection against my belly. Arik groaned in my ear.
The doorknob rattled. “Arik?”
Grim. I figured the door was locked or he’d already be inside. Either way, I wasn’t sure I cared—Arik was moving, shifting. His mouth found my nipple and sucked, shooting pulses of agonizing pleasure from my breast to my pelvis. A whimper escaped me.
“Arik! I thought I told you later for that, didn’t I?”
